Last year, the Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to Maryland's "assault weapon" ban, which covers some of the most popular rifles sold in the United States, including the AR-15. "Given that millions of Americans own AR–15s and that a significant majority of the States allow possession of those rifles," Justice Brett Kavanaugh said at the time, "petitioners have a strong argument that AR–15s are in 'common use' by law-abiding citizens and therefore are protected by the Second Amendment."
Although Kavanaugh nevertheless voted against granting that petition, he said "this Court should and presumably will address the AR–15 issue soon, in the next Term or two." His prediction came true on Tuesday, when the Court agreed to hear Viramontes v. Cook County, which involves a local ordinance similar to Maryland's law. The Court consolidated that case with Grant v. Higgins, a challenge to Connecticut's "assault weapon" ban, signaling that it will finally resolve the long-simmering question of whether laws that prohibit possession of widely owned but politically disfavored rifles are consistent with the Second Amendment.
